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A supercar for all surfaces
14 June 2011: A Chinese inventor has come up with a new design for an all-terrain vehicle which can be run on roads as well as on sand, ice and even water.
Zhang Yuhan, a mechanic design graduate from Xihua University, created the amazing machine, called the Volkswagen Aqua, for a competition sponsored by the German car maker, according to sources. The car, which has a top speed of 62mph and works like a hovercraft, can move seamlessly between different surfaces.
The vehicle's sleek sportscar-like
design incorporates four high-powered fans and integrated airbags that inflate
to lift it from the ground. A large windscreen stretches above the front seats
to give a panoramic view of the landscape ahead, and one can enter and exit the
car from a hatch at the rear of the vehicle.
Zero carbon emission
Based on technology that is currently available, the Aqua uses a hydrogen fuel cell to power two motors – with zero carbon emissions. One motor inflates the skirt around the vehicle to make it hover, while the second drives it forwards and controls its direction.
Source: Hindu Business Line